Jason and his team decided to take the 1M out for a bit o' the ol' sideways shenanigans, and nearly everything about the resulting video is excellent. We can understand why some folks would opt for a non-stick-shift M3, though we wouldn't do the same ourselves. And if we agreed with automatic M3 shoppers, we'd both be in the wrong.

We're very happy that BMW won't build an 1M with an autobox, and so is Mr. Cammisa. See the full test for yourself, after the jump.

BMW 1 Series M Information

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Its amazing to me this debate rages on. To each there own. All that matters is the driver likes what they got, auto, dualclutch, manual, etc... no one else's opinion amounts to anything if you are happy with your car. Nuff said.

I have a manual Evo and a DCT m3, what does that make me? This argument is so retarded, its like arguing that cars with a tire pressure monitoring system built in are for posers as real men check it manually. Engineers have created a technology that makes their cars go faster, drive better, and more reliable (with a system of safety measures to prevent gear grinding changes, and overheating). There is a reason f1 cars use similar technology.

I LIKE this guy! He's the closest to an American Clarkson I've seen yet. Get this guy on Top Gear USA. In 5 minutes, he has already proven himself more worthy than Adam Ferrara did the entire first season of TG USA.

"The M DCT can shift faster than any human can"
So? The Yamaha Fancypants 9000XL Electric Piano sounds more real than any Steinway grand, but I'd still rather have a vintage piano where the G two octaves below middle C sticks if you play it just wrong.
Jeez, get a chauffeur, grandma.

[blocked]

au·to·mat·ic/ˌôtəˈmatik/
Noun: An automatic machine or device, in particular.
Adjective: (of a device or process) Working by itself with little or no direct human control: "an automatic kettle that switches itself off"
A computer controls the shifts and has the logic to know when to shift. It is an automatic, no matter the specific implementation. The individual in the video is absolutely correct.

Manuals rule. I started off with driving an automatic car, but now I learned and enjoyed driving manually. The point is very clear, if you bought an M3 without manual transmission then you probably wasted your money.

13 years and counting... Driving a stick in NY.. You must not be proficient then, or at the least have subpar clutch control, because I'd prefer a stick in traffic... I'd wind up rolling into someone like every other jackass does in their automatics.

Apart from driving a manual in heavy traffic being really easy, if you're buying a car just to commute why the hell are you getting an M3? Why do you need a powerful sports car to sit in a traffic jam?

Manuals FTW....I have driven them through LA, DC, and now Germany traffic which is the worse.
Synthono......why in the hell would I anyone want to sit through traffic in some POS econo box? At a minimum I can roll down the windows, turn of the radio, and listen to the hum of the engine, while sip my coffee. It makes the stress go away :)

To me, an MT is all about driver involvement. Control. Hitting a road course or carving a twisty back road is just so much more involved and fun with a manual. I'm not saying the GT-R, Evo MR/SE, Porsches PDK equipped, etc. are not fun and awesome cars, it's just when you drive them, to me, somethings just missing.
Tell you what, drive a Lotus Elise/Exige, an RX-8 R3, a Z06, or a GT3, and maybe, just maybe, some will understand what I'm talking about.

Men who use electric starters are p***ies. Hand cranking is so much more engaging.
Men who buy cars with hydraulic brakes are p***ies. Mechanical brakes are more engaging. Hand brakes are even better. Blah, blah, blah.
Even the hot rod crowd has the "real hot rods have three pedals" arguement while some prefer auto. These are not posers, these are guys who buld their own cars. The only ones that make any sense are the guys who say "it's yours; make what you want, and drive what you want."
I'm sure automatic drivers don't have a monopoly on poserhood. Posers also learn how drive stick. It's not some defining quality; everyone used to do it, out of need.